Design Computing & Cognition

Research Areas | Our Staff | Our Students

The Key Centre of Design Computing is a collection of people within the Faculty whose main interests lie in the general area of design computing and design cognition. The vision of the Key Centre is to improve the quality of design through the application of the latest developments in computing. This vision is achieved through a symbiotic relationship between the education and research programs supported by the Key Centre. The Key Centre is internationally known for advances in the following areas:
Artificial Intelligence in Design, Digital Media in Design, Design Cognition, Computer-Support for Collaborative Design

For information about applying for a research degrees in Design Computing and Cognition, please contact the Discipline Head or any member of the discipline group.

• Phillip Dunston (School of Civil Engineering, Purdue Univ.), Robert Proctor (Department of Psychology, Purdue Univ.), and Xiangyu Wang - US National Science Foundation - Skill Development and Transfer from Virtual Training Systems $130,000 (US dollars) (2007-2009)
• Xiangyu Wang - Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Australasia Research Development Grant - Smart Construction Site: increasing awareness of construction assets $3,000 (2007-2008)
• Xiangyu Wang - Research and Development Grant Scheme, University of Sydney - A Cognitive Study of Augmented Virtuality Space for Architectural Design and Collaboration $20,000 (2007)
• Marc Aurel Schnabel - Research and Development Grant Scheme, University of Sydney - Parametric Designing in Architecture $19,500 (2007)
• Peter Reimann (Faculty of Education and Social Work) and Andy Dong - ARC Linkage Project - Designing for mobile learning in a technology museum $144,888 (2005 - 2008)
• Andy Dong - ARC Discovery Project - Computational Methods for the Social Accounting of Teamwork $150,000 (2005-2007)
• Petra Gemeinboeck - University of Sydney Early Career Grant - A Framework for Interaction Dependent Computational Awareness $15,000 (2005)
• John Gero - ARC Discovery Project - Situated Design Computing $515,000 (2005-2008).
• Mary Lou Maher and Andy Dong - CRC Construction Innovation - Enabling Team Collaboration with Pervasive Mobile Computing $133,000 (2005-2007)
• Andrew Vande Moere - University of Sydney Early Career Grant - Agent-Based Information Visualization $17,000 (2005)

Previously Awarded Grants

• J. Gero – Genetic engineering extensions to evolutionary systems in design, ARC Large Grant (1997-1999)
• J. Gero – Qualitative approaches to shape and space representation in computer-aided conceptual design, ARC Large Grant (1998-2000)
• J. Gero – Towards a model of designing that includes its situatedness, ARC Small Grant (1999)
• J. Gero – Developmental biology extensions to evolutionary systems in design, ARC Small Grants (2000)
• J. Gero - Research servers, University of Sydney Major Equipment Grant (1999)
• J. Gero - Visual and spatial reasoning in design, AAAI (1999-2000)
• J. Gero - Networked virtual environment of AI in Design research, University of Sydney IDF Grant (1999-2000)
• J. Gero - Rapid Prototyper, University of Sydney Major Equipment Grant (2000)
• J. Gero - Visual and spatial reasoning in design, Rockefeller Foundation (2000)
• J. Gero - Research workstations, University of Sydney Major Equipment Grant (2001)
• J. Gero - Design diversity in evolutionary systems, ARC IREX Grant (2001-2003)
• J. Gero - Using entropic measures to evaluate design spaces, University of Sydney Sesqui Grant (2001)
• J. Gero - Agent-based product modelling, University of Sydney Sesqui Grant (2002)
• J. Gero - Mass customisation of novel designs, ARC Discovery Grant (2002-2004)
• J. Gero - Digital media facility, University of Sydney Major Equipment Grant (2002)
• J. Gero - Life cycle modelling and design knowledge development in virtual environments, CRC for Construction Innovation (2002-2004)
• J. S. Gero - A Unified Representation for the Conceptual Design of Buildings, University of Sydney Sesqui Grant (2004)
• J. Gero, M.L. Maher and P. Eades, Visual information processing, University of Sydney Institutional Research Strengths Grant (2001)
• J. Gero and M. Rosenman - Integrated Design and Construction Support Systems: Automated Code Checking, CRC for Construction Innovation (2002-2003)
• D. Gunaratnam and J. Gero - Enhanced learning of high level design relationships using soft computing techniques, ARC Small Grants (2000)
• M.L. Maher – A model of co-evolutionary design, ARC Large Grant (1997-1999)
• M.L. Maher - Representation of virtual architecture, ARC Small Grant (2000)
• M.L. Maher - Team Collaboration in High Bandwidth Virtual Environments, CRC for Construction Innovation (2003-2005)
• M. L. Maher and A Dong - Enabling Team Collaboration with Pervasive and Mobile Computing, CRC for Construction Innovation (2004-2006)
• M. L Maher and J. Gero - An agent model of virtual worlds for collaborative design, ARC Large Grant (2001-2003)
• M. L. Maher and J. S. Gero - Managing information flows with models and virtual environments, CRC CI (2002-2004)
• J. Nappa – Content- and user-sensitive design information retrieval, University of Sydney Research Grant Scheme (1999)
• R. Reffat - Agents supporting design creativity, University of Sydney Sesqui Grant (2002)
• R. Reffat - Intelligent Agents for Concept Invention of Design Forms, ARC Discovery Grant (2003-2004)
• M. Rosenman – Incorporating an expert system for constraint satisfaction within a hierarchical evolutionary approach for non-routine design, ARC Large Grant (1997-1999)
• M. Rosenman and J. S. Gero - Integrated Design and Construction Support Systems: Automated Code Checking, CRC for Construction Innovation (2004-2005)

Ricardo Sosa PhD
Design computing aims to advance our understanding of creativity in design. The study of creativity is rich in anecdotes and myths but very limited in formal statements. Our aim is to build computational models where we implement and experiment with assumptions related to the creative process. The observation of these in silico phenomena turns out to carry significant contributions to the theorisation of creativity. The computer as an empirical test-bed is a relatively recent research methodology and one that suits well the study of design. Best of all, the limits are still unknown. The field is at a nascent stage so a lot of work needs to be done at the research level. Design education and consulting are two fertile grounds all over the world. So, what are the possibilities of better understanding what creativity is about? For a student interested in any aspect of design computing, the Key Centre ought to be at the top list of their preferences. This group of people combines a wide range of interests and backgrounds, making it ideal for cross-fertilisation and exploration of new territories between disciplines. The intellectual openness and support a valuable and rare combination that visiting scholars often point out.